Settlement debit cards are an excellent tool for making non-cash payments for goods and services in shops, supermarkets, in the service sector, etc. Payment cards are often provided to company employees as part of a payroll project.

What are the benefits of debit cards?

Open a debit card at any bank Russian Federation possible as soon as possible. Issuing a card in various financial structures takes from one to three weeks. Using a debit card is incredibly convenient. This allows a person to abandon the need to carry large amounts of cash in his wallet. This means that the client is less likely to lose his own funds as a result of robbery, fraud, etc. There are incredibly many ATMs in our country: enough to withdraw cash at any time if necessary.

When making payments with a debit card, the client can count on the opportunity to participate in bonus programs of a particular bank, enjoy all kinds of benefits when paying with a card for goods or services of companies that are partners of your bank. A certain percentage is charged on the balance on a debit card in many banks (up to 10% per annum).

Of course, you will have to pay for servicing a debit card - not many banks are ready to serve customers for free. By standard classic cards the cost of servicing in Russian banks ranges from 300 to 800 rubles per year.

Advice from Sravni.ru: When choosing a debit card, pay attention to the daily cash withdrawal limit for a particular banking product, whether there is a commission for withdrawing funds from an ATM, what is the amount of the commission when withdrawing cash from ATMs of other banks. In the end, these costs are borne by the client and you need to know about them in advance. 

A lot has been said and written about bank cards, but we still see how customers confuse debit cards with credit cards, are prejudiced against prepaid “plastic” and have absolutely no idea why virtual cards are needed. Our today's material is addressed to those who want to sort through the types of bank cards once and for all and find out which one is intended for what.

In order to talk about the types of bank cards, we first define what they are. Many plastic holders mistakenly believe that a card and a bank account are the same thing. Many common misconceptions follow from this - for example, that the loss of a card also leads to the loss of funds on it. However, this is not at all the case.

In fact, a bank card is just a payment instrument. By itself, it is a piece of plastic, and only "binding" to the bank account that the client has makes it possible to manage his money using the card. Of course, the loss, blocking or damage of the card does not affect the state of the account in any way (of course, if it does not fall into the hands of scammers with other data, who can cash out your money).

Almost any of the existing types of cards can be linked to the same account - it all depends only on the tariffs and capabilities of the bank, as well as the desires of the client himself. Therefore, let's talk about what types of "plastic" can be produced today, and how they differ from each other.

Main types of bank cards

Despite the apparent variety of bank cards that financial institutions offer their customers today, they all have similar characteristics and varieties in the database. The difference is only in tariffs, commissions offered additional services and bonuses - but before comparing the financial benefits from cards of different banks, you need to decide on the type of "plastic" that suits you best. As a rule, the division of cards can be done according to several parameters:

• By the owner of the funds in the account– debit, credit, overdraft, prepaid;
• By territory of use– local, international, intrabank, virtual;
• By payment system– Visa, MasterCard, Golden Crown, American Express, etc.
• By the level of loyalty to the client and the volume of services– electronic, standard, gold, platinum, etc.
• By data storage method- chip, with magnetic tape, combined.

The combination of different parameters from this list gives that huge assortment of "plastic" that can be seen today in the advertising offers of banks. But it is this abundance that leads to confusion for future card owners - how to choose the right type and not make a mistake. Let's tell you more about the most popular categories of banking "plastic".

Debit cards

Debit cards are "plastic" tied to a deposit current account. This is the most common type of bank cards - all salary, "pension", settlement cards belong to this kind.

The main feature of debit cards is that the client has the right to dispose of only money, pre-placed to them in their bank account. If this amount has already been spent, it is impossible to withdraw funds from the card until the next replenishment. We list other characteristics of cards with a debit limit:

• Such a card can be "tied" to a salary account, a deposit account "on demand", a deposit account with the possibility of partial withdrawal of funds, an accrued interest account;
• You can issue a debit card for a teenager from 14 to 18 years old (with the consent of the parents); for children from 6 to 14 years old, it is possible to issue an additional card to the parent card with a restriction on transactions on it. Persons over 18 years of age are entitled to issue debit cards on their own.
• An application for issuing a debit card is considered as soon as possible (a few minutes), as it does not require additional permits and checks. The issuance of the card itself, depending on its type and region, can be instantaneous or take several weeks.
• To issue a debit card, only a passport and the personal presence of the client are needed, no additional documents are required;
• As a rule, there are no upper and lower balance limits for debit cards - the client can both reset the account and place unlimited amounts on it;
• Funds on card accounts are protected by the deposit insurance system (with maximum amount compensation of 1.4 million rubles);
• A certain small percentage may be charged on the balance of funds (usually the average monthly amount on the account is considered);
• With a debit card, you can pay in cash and non-cash: make payments on the Internet and through an online account, withdraw money from ATMs, pay for goods and services at terminals.

Read also:

Sum maternity capital in 2019 and forecasts for the future

A debit card is a convenient payment instrument that is issued to a current bank account. With its help, you can have access to your funds around the clock and not depend on the work schedule of bank branches.

In addition, the functionality of debit cards can be expanded - for example, many banks offer to open a credit limit (overdraft) for them.

Overdraft cards

One of the most unclaimed products of banks - These are overdraft cards.. Many holders of "plastic" simply do not understand the mechanism of operation of such a credit limit, and therefore refrain from using it. Let's talk about these cards in more detail.

So, an overdraft is a credit to a debit account. In fact, a client who has concluded an overdraft agreement receives the right to pay with a card in excess of the balance on the account. Main characteristics of an open overdraft card:

• The credit limit is not open to everyone - banks have a certain list of requirements for the client (age, credit history, financial position, work experience, etc.);
• The main requirement when opening a limit is stable income to the card account. That is why most often overdrafts are offered on salary and pension cards. The fulfillment of this requirement “overrides” the violation of others - for example, the client may not have the required length of service, but the bank will offer him an overdraft.
• In order for the overdraft to be opened, the card must be valid for several months (usually from six months) - so the bank will be able to track the frequency of receipts;
• The overdraft limit varies depending on the bank and the type of card. It can be either 30-50% of the average monthly income, or 5-6 salaries;
• No documents are required to open an overdraft – all necessary documents are provided upon initial opening of an account. As a rule, it is enough to sign an overdraft agreement on the terms offered by the bank;
• Overdrafts can hardly be called profitable - banks open them at fairly high interest rates (25-30% per annum). In addition, in many cases there is a fee for using the overdraft facility;
• To use the limit, it is enough to withdraw an amount greater than the account balance - without additional requests to the bank;
• The repayment of the overdraft occurs automatically - when funds are credited to the account, the bank writes them off as a loan.

A debit card overdraft is a very convenient type of loan that allows you to get access to loans. However, it has several disadvantages - the most significant is that an overdraft is addictive to loans, and after a while the borrower cannot do without them.

Read also:

Sanatoriums for military personnel and military pensioners - where to choose and how to get a ticket

Experts recommend not opening large overdrafts - this can lead to the fact that your entire salary or pension will go to repayment, and you will again and again use loan funds. It is advisable to distinguish between a debit card and a loan account - for example, issue a separate credit card.

Credit cards

Credit card is special kind consumer loan opened to individuals. Map with credit limit- it is an opportunity to use the bank's funds at any time and in any place. Credit card characteristics:

• To issue plastic, it is necessary to open a loan account, which means obtaining a bank loan;
• The credit card limit is the amount of the loan granted by the bank;
• Issuing a card takes from several hours to a week, depending on the speed of consideration loan application and its limit
• To issue a card, you need a client's passport, proof of income, place of work - that is, everything that is needed to issue a regular consumer loan;
• Credit cards are issued only to persons over 18 years of age with permanent employment;
• Rates on cards can be quite high - up to 40-50% per annum. This is a fee for the “revolvability” of plastic - that is, the ability to repeatedly use the limit;
• Many credit cards also have a debit limit - and in the absence of commissions for cash withdrawals, they can be very beneficial for the client. As a rule, the remainder own funds on credit cards, banks charge interest on the type of deposits, and the rate can be quite good.

A credit card is a payment instrument that provides a borrower with access to a loan account. It can only have a credit limit, but it can also perform the functions of a debit one - it all depends on the tariffs of a particular bank.

Prepaid cards

Pretty new look plastic cards- prepaid. They appeared only a few years ago, and have not yet gained popularity. A prepaid card is a kind of analogue of a gift certificate for stores and beauty salons, but with a much wider range of applications. Main characteristics:

• Formed as unnamed debit card- that is, their issuance occurs instantly, at the time of the conclusion of the contract
• This is a bearer card, that is, any owner can pay with it, regardless of who purchased the card;
• Has a certain limited limit, does not involve opening an overdraft or replenishing an account (in the latter case, there are exceptions);
• As a rule, it is unsuitable for calculations on the Internet;
• You can withdraw cash from the card or pay with it at the terminals of stores.

Prepaid card - great replacement for a gift certificate, cash gifts or salary "in an envelope". Carrying such plastic is safer and more convenient than cash, but there are a number of restrictions compared to a debit card.

Division of maps by territory of use

Until now, we have only talked about dividing cards by owners of funds, which can be the plastic holder himself, a bank or a third party who bought a prepaid card. However, the matter is not limited to the choice of a credit or debit card - you also need to determine in which territory the use of plastic is necessary. On this basis, the cards are divided into:

• Intrabank - that is, those that can be cashed only at the issuer's ATMs. Such, for example, are cards that some banks issue to cash out consumer loans.
• Local - cards that can be used only in a limited area (for example, in the country where it is issued). So, in Russia there are several local payment systems, with which only local banks cooperate.
• International cards belong to major payment systems and can be cashed in any country in the world. These cards will be useful for travelers - they can be linked to a multi-currency account and make payments in one of several currencies;
• Virtual cards are needed for payments in the Internet space. They do not exist in physical form, they cannot be used at an ATM or an offline store. However, virtual card- an excellent payment tool for cashless payments, online purchases.

Mosoblbank credit card bank card

Whatever international payment system they belong to payment cards , and no matter how attractive the design used by banks when issuing them, the principles of operation of the cards are subject to the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, the banking legislation of the Russian Federation and are set out in the Regulations Central Bank RF.

The main principles of the functioning of payment cards are set out in the Regulation of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation "On the issue of bank cards and on operations performed using payment cards" (approved by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation on December 24, 2004 N 266-P) (as amended on September 23, 2008).

In accordance with this Regulation of the Central Bank, each credit institution may issue bank cards the following types:

1. Settlement (debit) card- intended for transactions within the established amount of funds (expenditure limit). Settlements on such a card are carried out at the expense of the client's funds in his bank account, or at the expense of a loan provided to the client in accordance with the bank account agreement in case of insufficiency or temporary absence of funds in the bank account (overdraft).


2. Credit card- intended for transactions, settlements for which are carried out at the expense of funds provided by the credit institution - the issuer to the client within the established limit in accordance with the terms of the loan agreement.


3. Prepaid card- is intended for its holder to perform operations, settlements for which are carried out by the credit institution - issuer on its own behalf, and certifies the right of the prepaid card holder to claim credit institution- to the issuer for payment for goods (works, services, results of intellectual activity) or for the issuance of cash.

Bank payment card is a universal payment instrument with which individuals (cardholders) can carry out the following transactions:

• receive cash cash in the currency of the Russian Federation or foreign currency on the territory of the Russian Federation;


• receive cash in foreign currency outside the territory of the Russian Federation;


• pay for goods (works, services, results of intellectual activity) in the currency of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Russian Federation, as well as in foreign currency - outside the territory of the Russian Federation;


• other transactions in the currency of the Russian Federation, in respect of which the legislation of the Russian Federation does not establish a prohibition (restriction) on their performance;


• other transactions in foreign currency in compliance with the requirements of the currency legislation of the Russian Federation.

Payment cards of banks (on a tangible medium) comply with certain design standards and have a format defined by the ISO 7810 ID-1 standard:

• width - 85.6 mm,


• height - 53.98 mm,


• thickness - 0.76 mm.

You can see more details about the size of a bank card and the material for its manufacture.

Symbols and design elements on a bank card

Layout of the front and back side of the conditional banking payment card looks something like this:

The front side of a bank card may have the following elements and designations:

1. Name and surname of the card holder - in Latin transcription.


2. Card expiration date - month and last two digits of the year


3. Name and logo payment system, with which the card is serviced.


4. Card number - consisting of 16. Card number can have 18 - 19 digits


5. Chip - additional card protection


6. The abbreviated company name of the bank, uniquely identifying it.


7. Logo of the issuing bank that identifies the bank.

The reverse side of a bank card may have the following elements and designations:

1. Bank name - repeated at the bottom of the card


2. Paper strip for owner's signature


3. CVV2 or CVC2 - authentication code, not found on all categories of cards. On American Express cards, the code is located on the front side (four-digit number above the card number)


4. Magnetic stripe (black)

Appearance of bank cards

Which appearance cards choose a bank? For example, I will give the types of bank cards of the three most popular banks among the population:

When considering the given samples of plastic cards of the above banks, it can be stated that, despite the presence of various color patterns, images are clearly visible on all cards: the name and logo of the bank, the logo and name of the international payment system (VISA, Maestro, MasterCard), card number, etc. .d.

On the front side of the card, some specific pattern can also be applied, and the logo and name of the bank can be located on top, but in any places determined by the bank's designer (on the right or on the left). As a rule, the main color scheme and pattern of each bank has its own peculiarity peculiar only to this bank.

Bank card can be issued to an individual, regardless of his citizenship (both resident and non-resident). The issuance of bank cards to a client and the performance of operations on a bank account using them is carried out on the basis of an agreement

Payment cards have become a common payment method with various additional functions. In order not to get confused in the wide range of offered cards, you need to start with the fact that there are two main types of payment cards - settlement and credit. How do they differ from each other?

Payment cards

The name indicates the main function of these cards - the ability to pay in shops, cafes, airlines, hotels and in any other place where there is a device that reads information from the card (POS-terminal). The payment card also allows you to shop online and find out how much money you have on bank account. With this card, you can use your personal money that is deposited into the account, such as salary, benefits or honoraria.

Today, both debit and credit cards can be personalized with a custom design, as well as a feature that enables contactless payments when it comes to small amounts– the card does not need to be inserted into the POS-terminal and the PIN-code must be entered. In addition, the contactless function can be completely disabled if it seems unnecessary.

It is not uncommon for parents to choose payment cards for their child so that their first financial experience is safe and visual.

Credit cards

A credit card, in addition to the functions of a payment card, allows you to use established bank credit limit up to 200% of monthly income. This allows you to make larger purchases and also makes life easier when traveling by allowing you to book hotels and flights, automatically converting money into local currency and providing you with the opportunity to purchase additional travel insurance on favorable terms.

Usually credit card is also needed in order to rent a car - both for paying for this service and as a guarantee of security, since it is a convincing proof of solvency. A credit card, just like a payment card, can be personalized by choosing an individual design and used for contactless payments for small amounts.

A credit card is a kind of prestige issue. For example, in a card offer Mastercard World Elite includes both personal assistant services abroad and priority clearance at airport security. Even the discreet design of this card indicates a certain selectivity.

You should also keep in mind that credit cards usually have a higher (compared to settlement) fees for withdrawing cash from ATMs.

How to distinguish cards?

Sometimes even the merchants themselves confuse settlement and credit cards or do not see the difference between the mini. For example, in stores that do not accept cash, you can still see the inscription "accept only credit cards", although in fact it is most likely about payment cards in general (regardless of their type).

At the same time, it is very easy to distinguish a payment card from a credit card, it must be written debit (payment card) or credit (credit card). Highlighted letters or other features are no longer considered to be the hallmark of a particular type of card.

Which card to choose?

People and their habits are so different that there is no single answer to this question. For some, prestige and travel insurance are important, for others, the ability to pay using the contactless payment function. The optimal set would consist of a payment card linked to daily payroll accounts and a credit card for larger purchases, unexpected expenses and travel.

Payment cards international organizations Visa and Mastercard are now accepted in most countries around the world, but there are still merchants who prefer cash transactions, so it's worth stocking up on them.

The choice of a card is determined by different life situations, and it is good that we can choose the possibilities for making calculations that are suitable for this.

Janis Meistars

Settlement bank cards are debit or credit, plastic or virtual. Despite the fact that so many names have the same payment instrument, there are still differences in these concepts.

What is a bank payment card

This is a banking instrument that is issued for transactions with non-cash funds. At the same time, with its help, you can perform operations only within the limits of available funds:

1. Transfer of cash to non-cash (or vice versa);
2. Receiving or sending money transfers;
3. Receipt wages or social benefits;
4. Payment for goods or services at points that are equipped with a cashless payment system;
5. Payment of taxes, housing and communal services, repayment of loans, etc.

Types of payment cards

There are a huge number of classifications of bank cards. For example, in terms of service level, they are social, classic, gold, platinum and elite.

Depending on the service of international payment systems -, American Express, Diners Club.

And depending on the type of holder, there are:

1. Personal. It is issued by the user for carrying out operations with personal funds.
2. Salary. It is issued by legal entities in order to transfer wages to their employees.
3. Family. They are opened for the purpose of attaching to a personal current account for the purpose of sharing by family members of the holder.

What is a personal and current account

Personal account is the number of the account to which the card is linked. Current account is the number of the account that is opened legal entity under which the bank card was issued. It is worth noting that several bank cards can be linked to the same personal or current account and, on the contrary, one bank card can serve several personal or current accounts at once.

Criteria for choosing a payment instrument

1. It is worth issuing a card only in a reliable bank, branches and ATMs of which are located in all cities of Russia. This will significantly improve the quality of service, and eliminate the accrual of additional commissions.
2. The payment card must be serviced by one of international systems calculation.
3. It is necessary to study in detail the list of services, the commission for transactions performed, the amount of annual maintenance, and so on.
4. Find out the possibility of using the card in various systems of non-cash and electronic payments.